Chiming Bells
by tophis1
Summary: Clopin didn't expect to find a young boy with Javerts gypsies. Now that he's rescued him, where else can he turn than to the church to protect this demon? Quasimodo/Erik/Esmeralda friendship
1. Chapter 1

The wind whistled against his shoulders, nearly pushing him from his precarious perch on a tree branch. The bells on his hat jingled and reminded him of his poor choice in attire. How was he to sneak up on Javert now?

It wasn't the best of plans, but he was rather desperate. His caravan was a few miles away and perfectly safe (from the other gypsies, not so much from Frollo). Javert had endangered the gypsy colony too many times for Clopin to ignore, but he still was weary of letting others get involved. This was something he, as his peoples leader, needed to do alone.

With a quick leap, he firmly planted himself behind a colorful tent; currently unoccupied, thank the stars. A few torches were lit randomly throughout the camp, meaning Clopin would need to keep close to the outside and try to spot the man. Once he found him, he'd wait for the perfect opportunity to knock him out and take his money supply, which he knew for a fact the man kept at his side at all times. And, knowing his controlling personality, he'd have the entire camps profit, instead of letting everyone take their own share.

Clopin peered under the orange tarp of a nearby tent, seeing a sleeping tiger in a large cage, as well as a few people milling around it. But no Javert.

It took a few more tents (and more than a few close calls) before he found the bulky gypsy man. From Clopins vantage point, he could see that the tent was only lit by a single torch attached to the center post, making him difficult to see as well as who he seemed to be talking to. All he knew was that the tent was empty, besides the two people. Clopin was willing to knock out another gypsy if this was his only chance.

Clopin took hold of his jingling hat, pressing it firmly against his chest to silence the annoying, yet loveable bells. Once he was sure no one was looking, he slipped under the tarp and quickly hid himself behind the pole, taking care not to hit the torch. How thankful he was to be unnaturally skinny.

The only thing he could hear was Javerts deep thunder of a voice murmuring something angrily to his companion. There was too much noise going on outside for Clopin to properly eavesdrop, but he assumed the unknown gypsy had done something horrible to warrant such fiery anger. Since it seemed Javert was distracted, he decided now was a good time to knock him over the head with the small club he had hidden in his belt.

Just as he was preparing to jump him, Javert suddenly stormed to the entrance flap, making a hasty and loud exit before he disappeared amongst the disembodied voices outside.

Clopin wanted to scream. This was taking too much time! And now he had to start over and find him all over again.

He carefully peaked around the pole to see if the other gypsy was still there, but was surprised to find that the room was empty, save for the medium sized cage against the opposite side of the tent. Who had Javert been talking to? A monkey?

It didn't matter. He needed to hurry up and find that horrible man.

With a sigh, he firmly tugged the hat atop his head, satisfied by the tinkering bells at the sudden movement.

"who's there?" Clopin jumped, causing the bells to jingle wildly before falling silent. Had he just heard someone? The tent seemed empty, though the fading light cast an eerie orange glow over the room, sending odd shadows that made Clopin weary.

There was a shifting sound, like scooting over metal and hay. After a little while a small form appeared near the bars. The only clear thing Clopin could make out were two vibrant and unnaturally yellow eyes. There was no way it could belong to a human.

But it had spoken to him...hadn't it?

"Are you a gypsy?" It asked in clear french, though it had an odd accent, as though it had known other languages.

Clopin was a very curious man, as long as it didn't interfere with his safety. But whatever this was was behind bars, it couldn't hurt him. And Javert would be busy all night roaming from tent to tent. He had time to see what this... thing- was.

He took his time, slowly inching to the creature. The closer he got the more he could see. Or at least his eyes were adjusting.

But after he was only a foot from the bars did he see that this thing was not a thing at all. It was a little boy.

"what are y-"

"shh" The boy warned, turning to look at the tent entrance. Clopin quickly scrambled over to the edge of the tent and slid back out just as a crowd began noisily pouring into the room.

"Come! Come inside!"

Clopin peaked under the tent to see Javert standing tall, a coiled whip in hand, beckoning the people closer to the cage. Clopin frowned at the thought. The boy was in that cage with a burlap bag over his head. And Javert had a weapon and...he was entering the cage now. Javert hung a torch Clopin hadn't noticed, making the shadows disappear and bathing the boy in light. He could see now that the boys wrists were tied together by a rough rope that was also tied to one of the bars. Though he struggled to crawl away, Clopin could see what was destined to happen and it made him realize 'Javert is crazier than anyone had ever thought'.

* * *

><p>Clopin crawled under the tent siding, making his way back over to the cage while keeping his eye on the tent entrance. The boy, whose unfortunate face had been revealed to the crowd before he was beaten, was unlike anything Clopin had ever seen. He was thin, with only a small dirty rag of shorts to cover him, making every scar and bruise visible. But, obviously, the worst thing about him was his face, which was so molten and deformed it was hard to describe.<p>

But he could see the sadness in those dangerously beautiful eyes. No one deserved this inhuman torture.

Clopin cursed. He couldn't leave him here.

"boy. Hey, can you hear me?" He nudged the boy softly on the shoulder, expecting him to flinch away, but it seemed he was too tired and hurt to move. "Come on. I'm going to get you out of here."

Those brilliant eyes looked up at him, glistening with tears that made Clopins heart break, before falling back to stare at Clopins feet. "..why?" He croaked dryly.

"You are a child. I will not leave you to be killed." Clopin almost smiled to assure him, but decided now was not the time. "What is your name, child?"

He lay still, seeming to ignore him. But Clopin didn't have time for this. "I will return shortly. I don't suppose you will be able to run, just stay conscious, alright?" He quickly hopped to his feet, feeling confident with the help of his jingling hat(crown) as he cartwheeled out of the tent, blending in with the performers. He kept his eyes peeled for Javert, feeling too much anger than necessary. Fighting angry was a horrible tactic that made you sloppy and caused mistakes. He couldn't afford that.

As he was making his second round towards the boy's tent he saw the gypsy man. He was laughing with a large barbarian of a man, fingering his whip resting in its holster. Clopin did a back flip behind a tent, circling it until he was close enough to smell the man's foul breath. Up close it overpowered his body odor.

"He's too stupid to see it coming. By noon tomorrow we'll have him begging for mercy." Javert barked out a laugh, throwing his head back and showing off his rotten teeth with multiple gaps.

"I've got a few ladies who need entertaining. I'll speak with you tomorrow." The man quickly left and Clopin wasted no time in taking this opportunity.

Once he was effectively knocked out, Clopin dug in his pockets, finding the keys to the cages as well as the rather large coin purse. He snickered at the ugly man before slipping back into the shadows to find the boys tent again.

"boy!" Clopin whispered, running to the cage and quickly unlocked the heavy door. It swung open with a loud, rusty whine.

The boy was shaking, but conscious. Being mindful of the whip marks littering his back, Clopin lifted him and held him firmly to his chest before slipping out the back of the tent.

The bells seemed to cheer him on, loudly ringing in his ear with each step. He was worried the boy would be bothered by the sound, but instead he saw that he was looking up at them with a look of astonishment.

"bells..." the child muttered before sinking into Clopins embrace. He was tired and worn, happy to fall unconscious against Clopins body-heat.

Clopin smiled. At least he wasn't broken. But he couldn't take him to the gypsy hideout, for he was not a gypsy as far as he could tell. And despite the fact that the gypsies would mostly accept him, it was the small percent that wouldn't that was the problem. And then he'd have to explain where he'd been to acquire such an odd boy.

He shivered. No. he couldn't tell them.

After an hour of walking through dense foliage, he saw the tall towers of Notre Dame, the beautiful bell tower standing proudly, bathed in moonlight. Clopin loved Paris dearly and the church was one of his favorite sights. Often times, when he was in trouble, he ran to her for sanctuary until the guards grew bored.

Sanctuary. Clopin looked down at the little boy, the _Devil's Child_, sleeping soundly in his arms. Surely the church would keep him safe. He just needed to claim sanctuary.

He made up his mind easily. He would take the child to the archdeacon before sunrise and return to his camp before anyone noticed their king was gone.


	2. New Home

Erik couldn't help fidgeting. He'd never sat in such a bright yet cavernous room, with its vaulted ceilings and pillared archways all painted in soft pastel colors. It was making him uneasy.  
>True, no one was around to see him, but it was too open and well lit for him to calm down. What if someone looked in and dragged him back to that cage? What if the police were on their way right now? What if-<br>Erik almost had a heart attack when the doors opened, but smiled shakily when he saw it was the kind archdeacon who had greeted him upon waking moments ago.  
>The man was aging and almost completely bald. Erik could tell he wasn't going to hurt him, but what was he supposed to think when he woke up in such an odd place? He would have to keep his guard up around him; until he felt confident he wouldn't attack.<br>"Young man, there is someone here to see you." The archdeacon smiled and pushed the door open the rest of the way. There, standing a few feet behind him, was a slumped figure of a boy, not much younger than himself.  
>Erik stared for a moment, and then sent a questioning look to the elder man.<br>"No need to be shy, Quasi. Go say hello." He stepped aside and gave the boy a gentle shove. He stumbled forward, clinging to one arm awkwardly as if to protect himself.  
>Erik watched the approach anxiously. This boy was scared. Who wouldn't be, when facing the devils child?<br>"H-hello." 'Quasi stuttered, keeping his eyes pinned to the marble floor. Erik felt himself growing even more confused and angry at how meek this boy was. The sooner he looked up the sooner he would wonder what was under the sack and the sooner he'd run and leave him alone. Delaying the inevitable made him frustrated.  
>"My name is Erik." He tilted his head to the side. "Who might you be?"<br>The boy flinched a bit, still refusing to look up. "Quasimodo." He looked like he was about to say something, then shut his mouth and took a small step back.  
>Erik studied him for a moment before asking "what happened to your back?"<br>Quasimodo stilled. "it... I was born like this." He looked up slowly. "Why do you wear a bag?"  
>And that was what Erik had expected, though he was still hesitant to take it off. Slowly, he reached up and slipped the sack away from his head, setting it on his lap. "I was also born like this." He murmured, and then turned to the archdeacon who was now sitting at his desk. "Why am I here?"<br>The man looked up and gave them both a small smile. "You were brought here by the gypsy, Clopin, for sanctuary. You may leave if you like, or you can stay with Quasimodo in the bell tower."  
>"Bell tower?" Erik remembered hearing bells when he'd woken up...and the bells on the gypsy's hat... Where was that man anyway?<br>"I can show you the bells... If you'd like." Quasi exclaimed happily, then blushed and averted his gaze. Church was no place for shouting.  
>Erik seemed to fidget again. He'd never just talked with another person, even though he didn't consider himself a person. It was odd, being free after so long. It scared him to be so unsure and confused.<br>"Go on, little one. Quasimodo can tell you anything you want to know about those bells." He shooed them out, assuring Erik that he would be safe with Quasi.  
>No one was in church, thankfully. Their steps echoed in the long hallways, reminding Erik of the office, except there were no windows and all light came from the candles scattered in large clumps throughout the sanctuary. It looked wonderful to Erik.<br>All too soon they reached a stone staircase that spun higher than Erik would have cared to walk. Once they reached the top, Erik was panting.  
>"Are you alright?" Quasi asked, having just remembered that he had a traveling companion. Erik nodded in affirmative and leaned against the cool stone wall.<br>It was pleasantly warm up here, unlike at ground level, which was suffering a light dose of autumn. From this height Erik could look out across the entire city and see the forests changing color. There were spots of green and yellow mixed in with red and orange.  
>"I'd forgotten how beautiful fall was." Erik smiled a genuine smile, not noticing the other boy smiling as well.<br>"It's my favorite season." Quasimodo murmured shyly, as if he was sharing a secret. Erik looked over at him, still grinning.  
>"Mine too."<p>

* * *

><p>"This is Gloria." Quasi jumped down to a platform a few feet below the one Erik was still on. "She's a bit dull, but she sounds really nice. If Frollo ever brings cleaner, she'll be the most beautiful bell of all."<br>Erik jumped and landed on weak knees, but refused to fall. He walked over to the bell and gave it a light rap with his knuckles, as he had done to the other bells. Quasimodo watched for his reaction and nearly grinned himself silly when Erik nodded his approval.  
>They continued on like this for a few hours. As the sun was going down, Quasi directed him to stand at the end of one of the farther platforms. "You may want to cover your ears." The boy warned, then turned and took a flying leap off the edge, grabbing onto one of the bells ropes. His weight caused it to start chiming and, when the rope pulled back up, he let go and fell in a small arc to the next bell. He flew at one of the support beams, kicking off it to propel himself to the left and continued pulling the bells.<br>Erik quickly covered his ears, smiling in wonder at not only Quasimodo's agility, but at the thundering toll vibrating him to the core. It felt like nothing else.  
>Quasi was crouched on the lowest platform. He was sweating, but obviously happy to have impressed his new friend.<br>"I have something else to show you!" He yelled up to Erik. They met on the other end of the bells close to the staircase they had used only a few hours ago. Across the small room was a shaky table, littered with small blocks of wood and carefully carved out people.  
>Erik picked one up, twisting it in his hands. It wasn't very good, but he could see the effort. "Who are these people?"<br>Quasimodo limped over to the nearby window, just wide enough for Erik to squeeze through. "It's the baker. He's closed up shop for today, but you can see him tomorrow." his expression fell. "If... you're still here... tomorrow."  
>"I have no home, so I can't think of anywhere else to be."<br>Quasi smiled lightly. "The archdeacon is really nice. He lets me come down to the church when there isn't a service."  
>"Is he Frollo?" Erik asked, setting the wooden baker down.<br>Quasi tensed at the name, and then laughed. Erik wondered what was so funny. "Frollo is my master. He's a judge." The smile vanished. "He takes care of me."  
>"Master?" Erik parroted.<br>The boy just nodded. "That's what he tells me to call him."  
>An awkward silence fell, making Erik jittery again. His sudden tenseness reminded him that he was still tired, which made sense since the sun was setting, casting everything into an orange over shade.<br>"Do you have a bed?" Erik questioned, rubbing at one of his sunken eyes. Quasimodo nodded and silently led him to a small wooden door. The inside was just as impressive, holding only a small straw cot against the far wall and a few stray bits of rugged clothes. Quasimodo hastened to gather them, but Erik didn't mind. He was used to disarray and even more used to the feeling of scratchy hay. He flung himself onto the bed and sighed happily.  
>"um.. Erik?"<br>Erik pinched his brow in slight frustration, but didn't bother to move or open his eyes. "hm?"  
>He heard Quasi set the clothes down, assuming he was going to use them as bedding. "Do you know your parents?"<br>"I knew my mother, though I wish I hadn't." At this, Erik creaked an eye open. "Why?"  
>Quasimodo was lying near the door, which didn't mean much in the tight area. He could smell the filth on the boy; he doubted he smelled much better.<br>He seemed to regret saying anything, but hastily replied "It's just... I didn't know my parents... But Frollo says they weren't holy. He says I'm a monster that he spared." Quasi looked at his hands. "Are we the same? Are we… monsters?"

Erik settled against the hay, closing his eyes once again. "It's possible."


	3. Friends in High Places

Despite what Erik had believed at first, there were a lot of things to do in the tower that he hadn't thought of doing. In the early morning, before Quasi awoke, he would tinker with the sounds of the bells and play a few tunes. After that, he would go carve with Quasimodo and occasionally watch the morning unfold as people milled around and went about their normal duties. Around the afternoon, he'd slip into the shadows of the church and attend service or simply wander the numerous halls in search of something fun to do.  
>All of this fun was outweighed, however, by the judge Frollo. Once he had been informed of a second demon in the tower, he seemed to become more violent and short-tempered.<br>"Sit up straight, boy."  
>"It's rude to slurp; eat more slowly!"<br>"Do not bring your carvings to the table. Put that away and stop fidgeting."  
>It was slowly driving him mad! Everything he did seemed to be wrong and led to some form of punishment. Each smack on the hand, time out, and missed meal only fueled the fires of his hatred, which made him want to break the rules more often, just to irk the man.<br>Erik sat in the window, gazing over the distance with a deep sense of longing. He brought his knees up to his chin and sighed. It was hopeless to wish for happiness. True, he was no longer beaten, but he was still caged and controlled, despite his best efforts to dissuade Frollo from trying to tame him. This was not his home, but he doubted he would ever have a true home.  
>"Erik? I uh..." Quasi fiddled with the hem of his shirt, which was already fraying and dirty. "I want to show you something."<br>Erik hopped from his window perch and walked with Quasimodo across the bridge to the large storage rooms. They stood before a set of three rather odd looking stone gargoyles. Quasi began fidgeting again, looking between Erik and the stone monsters before muttering "I want you to meet my friends."  
>"Friends? But..." He sputtered. "They are stone!"<br>"They change. Usually around sunset." He looked out the windows to see that the sun was only beginning to rise. "They're shy around new people."  
>Erik frowned. "I've been here for at least a week. Why did you not show me before?"<br>"I thought you'd laugh or... or leave." By now he was almost sweating with worry. Erik set a calming hand on his shoulder and smiled. It was a pained, fake smile, but the effort made Quasi smile back.  
>"Quasi." He said sternly. "I want you to remember something." The hunched boy nodded, but averted his gaze. Erik frowned and grabbed his chin a bit more forcibly than he intended. Once he was sure HE was all Quasi could focus on, he continued. "I want you to know that from now on, wherever I go, you'll go with me, ok? If we truly are demons, then we have to stick together, because we'll never find anyone else like us."<br>"But that's what I wanna show you!" The smaller boy pouted. Erik huffed frustratedly. The mood was ruined.  
>Quasi trotted over to the side of the stone figures. "Come on, guys! Wake up!" He tapped on the hard heads, but there was still no movement. Erik tapped his foot to show his impatience. The other child glared at him, then went back to trying to get his stone friends to awaken.<br>"Quasimodo, these cannot, nor will they ever, move! They. Are. Stone!"  
>"B-but..." He watched sadly as Erik turned and began walking back to the carving table.<br>Erik allowed himself a small smile as he sat comfortably in his favorite spot and carefully picked out his favorite whittling tool and most recent project. It was that perfect time of day when the sun shone into the window enough that he could see everything he was doing. Any other time of day, he'd have to go outside where it was cold and windy, but inside it was peaceful. Just as he was positioning the tool to chip into the block, Quasi came stumbling back into the room, looking absolutely frantic.  
>"Erik! Erik! They're awake! Come look, quickly!"<br>"Ugh!" Erik released the items and allowed himself to be dragged back over to the storage rooms, but there were no statues at all now. Both stood in an awkward silence before Erik crossed his arms, utterly unamused. "Well. It is impressive that you managed to hide such heavy statues, but I'm still not convinced."  
>"You've gotta believe me!" Quasi looked close to tears as he began looking behind crates, up into the numerous tiers, under covers; they were nowhere to be found. "Y-you've gotta...b..believe-"<br>Compassion swelled in Erik so quickly that before he knew it, he was at the boys side, taking his shaking hand in his. "What did we just talk about, hm? Tell me."  
>Though he was still crying and flustered, he managed to look Erik in the eyes. "We gotta stick to-together."<br>"Good." He gave the hand a small squeeze. "Always remember that."  
>"Aw, ain't that just the sweetest thing you ever heard?" Erik spun to face the voice, nearly knocking Quasi over. His heart stopped in his chest when a rather fat, pig-nosed gargoyle came BOUNCING over to him, grinning from ear to pointed-ear. Once the boy had gained enough wits to breathe, he scrambled backwards and away from the approaching beast, hastily fleeing with a terrified yell.<br>Both Quasi and the gargoyle watched the boy run before a more masculine voice shouted "That is no way to make friends, Hugo." The taller, male designed figure hopped in, roughly shoving the stout goyle so he would topple over. Soon, they were pitched in a heated fist-fight, growling out insults and falling against the crates.  
>A stone hand touched Quasimodo's, causing him to shiver, but smile at the loving touch. He looked over to Laverne who smiled back, looking as old and worn as ever. "Sorry we hid, Quasi, but we were just as nervous as you." She sent a scowl to the two rough-housing a few feet away. "And that clown had to go and scare the poor boy senseless! What's the matter with you?" She shook her fist at the pig-gargoyle, but it didn't stop their fighting.<br>"I should probably go get him." The hunchback noted, looking in the direction Erik had disappeared to. "Maybe we should try again some other time."  
>"No time like the present." Laverne stated, hobbling after the boy as he traveled across the bridge-like path to the connected rooms.<br>Both began their search, looking everywhere a small boy could hide while calling out his name. After about an hour of this, Quasi gave an exasperated sigh and tilted his head up, prepared to throw in the towel, when he caught a glimpse of shining yellow in the darkness of the upper rafters. He tilted his head, noticing now that there were two glowing yellow eyes watching him carefully.  
>"Erik?"<br>Of course he got no reply, but there was a slight shift and he could now make out the dark, boy shaped figure. He smiled reassuringly up to him, trying to look as non-threatening as possible.  
>"Please come down, Erik. They're not dangerous."<br>The eyes changed from weary to disbelieving, then resigned. The eyes momentarily disappeared before Erik shimmied down a support beam and cast a worried look around the room. His gaze landed on Laverne who portrayed nothing but friendly warmth, despite her cold, stone exterior. Erik, being the sensible 7-year-old that he was, could recognize that she was not a threat and hesitantly approached her. After a friendly (and more than slightly awkward) handshake, the two shared a small smile before it was decided that Erik would meet the other two once they were done wrestling.  
>The three settled at the eating table that was supposed to remain untouched unless Frollo was here for mealtime. Erik grinned inwardly at his own defiance, but Quasi kept shooting worried glances at the stairwell.<br>"I'm so sorry we scared you, but you'll have to realize that Hugo is a bit of a bird-brain." She shook her head. "Victor isn't much better, but at least he_ sounds _educated. You seem like you might get along with him. He knows a lot about this buildings architecture." At this, Erik couldn't help but smile, which was becoming a common habit that often left the corners of his mouth aching.  
>"How is this possible? You're a stone statue. You shouldn't be able to move."<br>"Lots of things go unexplained!" She threw her hands up into the air. "You just gotta learn to accept some things."  
>Erik pursed his lips in thought. He was about to retort, when a deep voice cut the conversation short.<br>"Might I ask whom you were talking to?" Frollo floated into the room with his long dress robes billowing around his feet. Quasi paled dramatically and immediately stepped away from the table with his head bowed. Erik, however, remained seated across from the now motionless statue.  
>"No one." Erik replied cuttingly, shooting the tall man a glare. He could always tell that the man hated him, but just below the surface of his hatred was a deep pit of fear. He was scared of Erik's haunting, yellow eyes and the fire they held. It never helped him when being punished, though. In fact, it seemed to make it worse when he made eye-contact.<br>Frollo frowned, making more wrinkles around the corners of his mouth. "Why is that stone monstrosity sitting in my seat?" He growled, inclining his head to Quasi, who was shaking like a leaf. Seeing that the boy would provide no answer, he turned back to Erik. "Well?"  
>"We were playing...sir." He mumbled heatedly, keeping his eyes focused up on the man. "We didn't know you were coming so early."<br>"Early?" This made Frollo smirk for some reason, which was even more hideous than his frown. "It's midday."  
>"oh no." Quasi moaned, shutting his eyes. Frollo rolled his eyes and pointed to the gargoyle.<br>"That-" He barked. "Shall be removed immediately. Then we shall eat and you both will remain in your room until it is time for Quasimodo to ring the bells, then you will go without supper." He tilted his head up haughtily, waiting for Erik to protest as he normally did when being punished. This time, it would not come.  
>Erik sat, glaring, but quiet. He managed to jerk his head into a nod, and then look away. He detested the man and suddenly had the odd wish that he was a demon. That way, when he saw him in Hell, he could watch the man writhe in pain and agony at his hands. It may not be soon or even in this lifetime, but Erik knew he would get his revenge.<br>But right now, he had to figure out how to maneuver a heavy statue off a chair without crushing his foot.


	4. Antoinette

Time was an odd concept in the towers of Notre Dame. Sometimes, it felt like weeks when it had only been mere hours. Other times, especially when Erik was messing with the bells and writing songs, a whole afternoon could feel like minutes. It was weird that Quasimodo always knew when to ring the bells. He was never late, but he had nothing but the sun to base his internal clock on. No matter how hard he tried, Erik could not tell time the way Quasi could.

At the moment, both boys were enjoying a wonderful afternoon on the roof. They had just finished a rather complicated and dangerous race from one end of the slanted roofs to the other and were now panting heavily, leaving large puffs of white air.

"Paris is so beautiful." Quasi sighed wistfully, hugging his legs to his chest. Erik nodded his agreement, looking up at the multitude of clouds that covered up the sun and only let a few rays slip through. It was a bit warmer today than usual, but pretty soon they would need heavy cloaks to go outside, lest they catch a cold.

Winter was destined to be a real beauty from their vantage point.

* * *

><p>Erik let out a groan as he tossed about in the cot.<p>

"It's your own fault." Quasi admonished, dipping the rag into the lukewarm water. He frowned, knowing he'd have to go back downstairs to get fresh water. Again. "You were jumping around the roof in the middle of the night! It's freezing out there!"

"shut up." Erik grumbled, lacking the usual fire behind his words. He gave a weak bout of coughs before falling back against the hay. "I'm thirsty."

Quasi nodded. "I'll be right back." He jumped up and went in search of some clean water, leaving Erik to drift in and out of a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>It had been a long three weeks since he'd gotten sick and Quasi was a strict nurse. The younger boy wouldn't let him leave the room at all, fearing he would get even more sick and possibly kill himself. Erik thought it was preposterous, but he didn't have the strength to fight it. Why not let the boy play nursemaid for a while? It gave him a distraction, one that Quasi seemed to be enjoying.<p>

Besides, he could use the attention.

Today, though, was the first day he was well enough to step out to the balcony. He had the thickest blanket available wrapped around him and a worried Quasi following close behind. He felt achy all over from his lack of movement lately, but loved the feeling of fresh air. He took a deep breath, and then fell into a fit of coughs.

Quasimodo gasped. "See? You shouldn't have left the room. Oh, now you're going to get worse and-"

"Quasi, I'm fine." He put all his effort into giving him a reassuring smile. He sniffed loudly and leaned over the railing. "I need this to get better."

There was an easy silence between them as Erik soaked in the sunlight, basking in the open winter air. It felt good, but he knew he'd have to go back in soon. He was feeling tired again and couldn't stand much longer. Once he felt refreshed, he turned to go back inside, barely noticing as Quasi tucked him in and wiped a layer of sweat from his forehead.

* * *

><p>"Ready?" Erik looked over to his friend, flinging the bag over his shoulder.<p>

The hunchback nodded, smiling nervously. "Where are we going?"

They both looked across the dark expanse while Erik mapped their route. "We'll head over to that dome-topped building, then circle around to the library and climb back up here." He shivered and tugged his make-shift cotton cape around him more securely. It had rained that morning, meaning the roofs would probably be slick and everything felt drearier and colder than usual. But maybe that was just Eriks dower mood from being sick.

Erik led the way as they set off down the railing. As predicted, the metal was slick and, more than once, Erik had almost fallen. Thankfully, Quasi had been there to pull him back up. He wouldn't admit how helpless that made him feel.

"It looks so different from here." Erik commented, stopping only to take in the scenery from the top of the new building. You couldn't see as well, since the building wasn't so tall, but it was still amazing. Quasi nodded in agreement, pointing to the beautiful, large mansions nearby and reciting who lived in each. Once they had their fill, they moved on towards the library.

"Almost the-ah!" Erik tripped over a roof tile, pin wheeling his arms as he tilted over the side of the roof. In an almost slow-motion maneuver, Quasimodo stretched out his hands, barely brushing his fingertips on the edge of the boys shirt.

"No!" Quasi watched his friend fall out of sight. He immediately crawled to the edge, peering over with tears forming in his eyes. "Erik!" He cried, frantically searching the streets below for any sign of his skeletal body. A few nearby windows were lighted, but no one dared to stick their heads out in the cold weather to see who was shouting.

"Quasi, be quiet!" Eriks voice hissed in his ear. When he looked to where the voice seemed to come from, he saw an empty roof.

"Erik?" Quasi whimpered, fearing that he was already hearing the older boys' ghost.

"Down here." Erik waved his arms from a low balcony to get his attention. It was a fairly long drop, though the skeletal boy seemed to be perfectly fine.

Quasi let out a shaky laugh and wiped away the tears trailing down his cheeks. "A-are you alright?" He asked in a loud whisper. Erik nodded. "How are you going to get back?"

For a moment, the boy seemed to ponder this. Erik leaned over the railing, assessing the much longer distance and slick building walls. There would be no way to climb down from the outside, nor could he jump back over to the apartment building he had just fallen from.

"Meet me on the street below. Hide in the alley and wait." His calm whisper said. Quasimodo balked at the new skill Erik seemed to have acquired. When had his best friend learned to throw his voice so perfectly?

Erik turned back to the dark room to see what kind of horrible situation he was in. It seemed perfectly fine. It was very spacious and lightly colored with a few articles of clothing scattered around the floor. One, he noticed, was a white dress.

"This… is a girls room." Erik blanched. From the small amount of time he'd spent around normal humans, he'd learned that young boys should never be in young girls rooms. He didn't want to scare the poor thing.

With deliberate gentleness, Erik closed the balcony doors and flew through the room in quick, silent leaps. He looked over to the two beds where a pair of young girls were resting soundly and gave a sigh of relief. Surely the rest of this adventure should be this easy.

The lock clicked softly, but the door creaked in protest when he swung it open. The loud noise caused Erik to jerk back and freeze in place. After a tense moment, Erik let out a sigh of relief. It seemed the girls were still sleeping.

"uhn..." A soft coo, followed by the shifting of bed sheets, came from the bed closest to the door. Erik prayed that she would just go back to sleep, but it seemed that would not be the case. The girl sat up, rubbing at one of her eyes. "Who are you?" She asked drowsily.

Erik shrunk back uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. He was tempted to stay silent and get out, but another part wanted to get to know another real human.

"I'm very sorry to have woken you. Go back to sleep." He whispered.  
>The girl tilted her head slightly with a worried frown. "Boys shouldn't be in girls' rooms." She brushed her long brown hair behind her ear, raising a brow at the nervous way Erik shifted from foot to foot. "Tell me your name."<br>"E-erik." He mumbled. "Who are you?"  
>"Antoinette." After watching him for a moment, she smiled and rubbed her eyes. "Good to meet you, Erik. Now get out of our room."<br>Erik jolted at her abrupt statement and rubbed the back of his neck- an act that he wasn't sure where he'd picked up. "oh, uh.. right. Very sorry miss. I fell on the balcony and-"  
>"You're babbling." She stated, staring down at her bedsheets. "Can you sing?"<br>It was an odd question, but Erik decided not to complicate the already awkward moment. "Yes, I suppose."  
>This seemed to cheer the girl up a bit. "Good." She smiled and patted her bedsheets. "I'll tell you how to get out, and you sing me a lullaby. It's the only way I can get back to sleep."<br>Erik rubbed his arm nervously. He'd never sung in front of someone, mostly because no one cared to listen to him at the circus, so he wasn't too sure how good he actually was. But it was his fault that she was awake. The least he could do was sing a simple lullaby. There was one that came to mind that he was sure his mother had sung to him, back when she wasn't drinking her sorrows away.  
>"Baby sleep, gently sleep..." His voice shook and it came out unsure and quiet, but Antoinette seemed to be lulled by his accurate notes. "life is long and love is deep. Time will be sweet for thee, all the world will see. Time to look about and know, how the shadows come and go.."<br>The young girl settled back into her bed and closed her eyes, urging him onward. "How the breeze stirs the trees, how the blossom grows. Sleep, baby, sleep. Sleep, gently sleep."  
>Antoinette smiled over at him, filling his chest with a comfortable, but foreign warmth. "That was...pretty good. You should come to the Opera house some time."<br>"Is that where you work?" Erik asked, feeling a strange urge to brush back a strand of her hair. She nodded and sighed.  
>"I'm a chorus girl there. We're staying at this hotel because we were going to tryouts across town. You have an amazing talent." She cracked open her eye to study his face. "Anyway, once you leave this room, there is a staircase to the left, down the hall. We're on the fifth floor. Be careful of the clerk."<br>Erik thanked her, getting up to leave. Before he could get too far, he was pulled down by his cape and pecked on the cheek. Yet another foreign warmth filled his chest, making his face heat up. Antoinette smiled sleepily and shooed him away. "I expect to see you soon, monsieur Erik."

* * *

><p>Quasi stomped his feet and walked around in circles, trying to keep his toes from turning purple. His breath puffed around him ceaselessly, increasing in rate the longer he stood staring at the door. It had been nearly ten minutes! Where was he?<br>A few moments later, the door swung open and Erik came stumbling out. Instantly he ran to the hunched boy with a wild grin.  
>"Erik!" Quasi berated. "Where were you? What-"<br>"I met a girl, Quasi! And she looked right at my face! Oh, my heart is swelling!" He breathed, resting a hand on his chest as if Quasimodo would actually be able to see. "She had a wonderful voice. And she lives at the Opera house!"  
>"Erik, you're going to get a constricted throat! Calm down!" He whispered harshly, patting his friend on the shoulder. "We will talk about it when we get home. I'm freezing."<br>"You're right, you're right." Erik sighed contently, trying to calm his smile before the edges of his mouth broke. "Lets get going."


	5. Miscellaneous realizations

"Antoinette. What a beautiful name! And her eyes were so... so... ugh, if only I knew the words to describe her!"  
>Quasimodo and Lavern watched the boy pace back and forth across the storage room. It had been amusing the first few minutes, then it had gotten rather annoying.<br>"Are you going to meet with her again?" Quasi asked, trying to get his best friend to stop his incessant pacing. Erik turned to look at him. Quasi smiled. Victory.  
>"I'm not sure. The Opera House is rather far away." He bit his bottom lip. "Lavern, what do you think?"<br>Their gargoyle companion tapped her cement lip. "hmm... you seem rather smitten with her... I'd say visit a few times, but keep it limited until spring, when it's warmer."  
>His mood seemed to falter as he thought this over. "You're right." He sighed and flopped down to sit next to his friends. "You would like her, Lavern."<br>"If she makes you this happy, I'd say probably so." She hobbled over to the window, making the floorboards shake. "It's almost midday, Quasi. Better go ring the bells."  
>Quasi stood and popped his back with a frown. Ever since Erik had showed up, ringing the bells was a tedious affair that cut into play time. Today, though, it was completely welcomed. Even though it was cold and the ropes chafed his chilled hands badly, it was still better than listening to Erik prattle on about his new friend. With a little hesitation, he turned back to the skinny boy and said "After I'm done... do you want to do something fun?"<br>Erik blinked, seeming to understand that he had ignored his friend all morning. He smiled and tousled his sparse hair. "Sure. I could teach you something if you want." Both boys shared their own smiles before Quasi trotted to the ladder that led to the upper bell towers.  
>"Be careful about what you say around him." Erik jumped and turned to Lavern who was leveling him with a steady gaze. It was neither angry or hateful; just concerned and serious. "Quasimodo has never had a human friend before you. He may get jealous of this new friend of yours. He doesn't say anything, but he's afraid of losing you."<br>In his mind, Erik knew this to be rediculous. How could Quasi think he'd go against his own kind? Demons had to stick together. Even if Antoinette didn't mind him visiting he could never stay with her. And she had her own life to live. Erik didn't stand a chance.  
>"Talking with your stone sculptures again?" An agitated and graveled voice asked from the stairwell. With a sigh, Erik turned to face Frollo, suppressing his scowl.<br>"Would you rather I converse with_ you_?" Erik bit out, realizing that it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. His fears were confirmed when the man pointed to his room, forbidding him from coming out until he and Quasimodo were done eating. As Erik stalked past him, he noticed the judge wince at the loud bells that were too close for his liking.  
>-<p>

Erik was finally released, thankful that it was Quasi who opened the door and Frollo was nowhere to be seen. They collected all their blankets and tied them around themselves till they were satisfied and warm. Erik jumped out of the window, landing on the icy ledge below, moving out of the way for Quasimodo.

"What are the three primary colors?" Erik asked as he hopped from one ledge to another, keeping track of the wind so he didn't get blown off the roof.

Quasimodo followed with a lope, trying to keep up with Erik's quick pace. "Uh… red… yellow…green?"

"Blue."

"Oh." Quasi stopped and stared down at his feet. Once Erik noticed his companion was no longer following him, he stopped as well and faced him.

"Come on, Quasimodo!" He yelled. When the hunchback didn't react, he huffed and leapt back over to him; his arms crossed and a frown set. "What?"

Quasi sniffed and looked up with watery eyes. "You're so much smarter than me. A-and… better at-at everything." Erik's frown lost its strength. He set a comforting hand on the younger boys shoulder. "I'm so ugly and _useless_…"

"No." Erik growled, startling Quasimodo into meeting his gaze. "Don't say things like that. Once you give up, they win."

"What do you-"

"Frollo hates us." Erik stated. "He put this bad self-image into your head to make you less than what you are. We're not worthless. If anything-" He straightened up more with a confident look. "he should be afraid of US! We're the demons!"

"I don't wanna be a demon!" Quasi cried, rubbing his eyes. "I wanna go down into town and talk with those people. I wanna have a mom and dad and… I just wanna be normal."

"I want that too." Erik whispered. He was knocked by a wave of self-pity that felt overwhelming, then quickly swallowed down those emotions to stop from being distracted. "But we're not normal. We've got other talents. You have plenty of talent." Erik smiled at the disbelieving look he got. "You're stronger than me. You're more observant than me. Plus, you know every inch of this town and all the people."

"But you're so artistic and smart."

"That is out of our control. But… we can work on getting you educated."

"I don't even know how to read." Quasi groaned, wiping away the last of his tears.

"I know how. I'll teach you." Erik beamed. "There's so much out there, Quasi. You'll find something you're amazing at. And you can come with me when I go to meet Antoinette!" Quasi let a smile slip and Erik couldn't help but smile back. He looked over to the dying sun slipping behind the horizon. "For now, you've got to ring the evening bells. We can start tomorrow."

* * *

><p><p>

"Erik, I don't think-"

"shh!"

The archdeacon looked up with a raised brow, setting down his feather pen. A moment later, the large oak doors creaked open and two small heads peaked in.

"eep! " Quasimodo disappeared behind the door, soon followed by Erik.

"Boys, come inside. Sit." The man smiled warmly. "What can I do for you?"

Both sat uncomfortably in their chairs, fidgeting and not meeting his gaze. Erik spoke up first by saying that they wanted books. The archdeacon tilted his head.

"You know you can come and ask whatever you wish." He tapped his chin, eying both boys carefully. "Unless you weren't planning on asking."

Now Quasimodo was practically sweating while Erik sat looking guilty, yet angry. He could see how the boy would become a wild and unhappy young man if he didn't get a positive influence.

"Erik." The boy sent his pout in the old man's direction. "I noticed you've taken the role of the older brother. You must know that comes with responsibilities. You need to be a positive role model."

Erik grumbled something under his breath, but settled a bit now that he could see he wouldn't be severely punished. Once he had calmed completely, he was led over to the large bookshelves filled with many different tomes and scripts; scrolls and biographies. Erik was in a much lighter mood now, even smiling as he was allowed to shift through the many titles. Quasi came over and obediently held the books Erik picked out until his arms were full and both were sent out.

"And Erik." The archdeacon grabbed his bony shoulder, making him turn back and stare up at his aged and withered face. "Please remember that this is your sanctuary. You can feel safe here, especially when it comes to my office. Feel free to borrow whatever you need."

For a moment, Erik was going to scoff, but he could see the man's sincerity. He nodded stiffly, then went to catch up with Quasi. The patter of their bare feet against marble floors echoed for a while even after they were out of sight. Once he couldn't hear them, the man turned and went back into his office. Those boys would be interesting to raise.


	6. The Opera house

Antoinette couldn't think of anything to say. It was something out of the ordinary to meet a talking skeleton, but it was something else entirely to meet a hunchback.  
>She almost felt bad for the way she flinched when he entered the room, but Quasi hadn't seemed to notice. What a strange name; Quasimodo. At least 'Erik' was kind of normal and noble sounding. To be named 'low Sunday' almost sounded like an insult.<br>"Quasi, this is Antoinette. Annie, this is Quasimodo." He introduced with a nervous smile. There was a nervous tension in the room as each of them observed the other. It astonished Erik how well Antoinette was taking this. He had only met her once and it was dark. Truly, God had sent a miracle for this girl to accept them both in broad daylight! Well... maybe not 'daylight', but copious amounts of candlelight.  
>Finally, the tension was broken as Annie stuck out a sure hand and smiled. "It's good to meet you. Did you say you two were brothers?" She looked over to Erik. "You look nothing alike."<br>"Not by blood." Erik commented. "But we are both demons. That's got to count for something."  
>Annie frowned. "Neither of you are demons." She said surely. "Demons are evil and work in secret. As far as I can tell, you're just unfortunate people. And there's no reason to be ashamed of that."<br>Erik and Quasi shared a look of faint surprise and utter disregard. What would SHE know of what they were? Everyone else told them they were demons and they were usually adults!  
>"Whats it like living in the Opera house?" Erik asked, looking around the storage room she had brought them to. About a dozen backdrops rest against the far wall and a bundle of curtains lay rolled up in a large pile, which Antoinette was sitting on.<br>"It's wonderful, actually. I love to dance." She looked down to her feet. "It gets boring sometimes, but there's a lot to do in town when the weather is nice." For a moment, she paused to think something over, then looked back up. "Everyone will be asleep by now. Do you want a tour?"  
>Before Quasimodo could give a stuttered warning, Erik beamed and exclaimed "Yes!"<p>

"Isn't this gorgeous? I know the man who painted this. Oh, he's so talented. I sometimes wish I could make something so great." She gushed over an exposed backdrop hung behind stage. It was a colorful landscape with rolling hills and a yellowed sky with the sun setting behind a puff of clouds. It really was amazing and Erik wished he had paint supplies to make something as well to make Antoinette this happy.  
>"Whats it for?" Quasi asked, reaching out to touch a very lifelike tree, his candle coming a little too close to the canvas.<br>"Be careful!" Annie admonished lightly, gently moving his arm away from the painting. Quasi blushed at the contact, but took a step back and nodded.  
>"Our newest play is called <em>L'Agricoltore di Montagna Sherman<em>." She pointed to a fake set of boulders around a paper pond. "There is a girl who meets a farm boy at this pond every day to collect water. They fall in love after a while, but his father has to sell the farm and they have to move. He leaves her heartbroken, but they meet again and live happily ever after."  
>"That sounds really sad." Quasi mumbled, looking around.<br>"Yes, but its beautiful." Antoinette shot him a smile. "Come stand on the stage." She pushed past the heavy curtains, beckoning them to follow. Both boys stepped forward, lifting the curtain to see the large room. From what their candlelight showed, the room was filled with nothing but soft looking chairs and golden decorations.  
>"Imagine this room filled to the brim with people." Annie placed a hand on both of their backs, pushing them to the center of the stage. "Isn't it exhilarating?"<br>"Terrifying." Erik laughed. "So many people come to see these plays?"  
>"All the time. Only the creme de la creme of Paris can afford to come to plays so often, but they love it. They wear big dressed and fancy suits as if they're meeting the queen." Each of them smiled at the thought, picturing poofy gowns and glossy suits with pompous expressions and too much jewelry. "It's in Italian, so most of them can't even understand it."<br>"Then what's the point?" Erik asked, frowning out at the seats.  
>Annie shrugged. "Come along. I want to show you the entrance hall! The front doors are massive."<p>

Both boys clamored through the window, breathing heavily from the intense exertion of climbing their way up the tower. They shared huge grins before stumbling tiredly into their room and collapsing onto the hay.  
>"So many things I never knew existed." Erik shook his head disbelievingly, then turned to look at Quasi. "The world is such an amazing place."<br>Quasimodo, for the first time in his life, agreed. He bobbed his head happily, still trying to catch his breath. "Being in the middle of it, knowing what goes on..." his eyes sparkled with delight. "It almost makes me feel normal."  
>Erik laughed, looking up at the ceiling. "It does."<br>Neither boy could get to sleep, though their bodies were exhausted. Too many new images filled their heads for them to properly shut down. They didn't mind, really. It was worth it to be able to go over what they had learned many, many times.


	7. Skip 4 years

Before you read this, please know that I do not share Eriks beliefs.

There was something dark inside the boys mind that the deacon couldn't quite place. A deep, festering hatred bubbled to the surface at random occasions that frightened him. Quasimodo seemed to be Eriks only soother, for which the arch deacon was extremely thankful. Through the past three years Erik had lived in the church, people had become fearful of his anger and he was no exception.  
>Such thoughts were interrupted by his sweeter moments, like the one he stood over now. Erik and Quasi were both sleeping, sprawled on his office floor with a multitude of books surrounding them, faces lax with relaxation. At times, when taken by limitless anger, Eriks face would storm with a ferocity that surpassed his age, contorting his expression into an ugly, twisted scowl. It seemed to be happening more often now, even in Quasi's presence, so it was truly rare to see him this vulnerable. He looked like a true child.<br>The deacon crouched down, stroking back their bangs and picking up a large tome to enjoy some late afternoon reading.

Erik crouched down, curling against the wall as much as he could. there were only a few adults wandering around the church, mumbling to themselves in what Erik guessed was supposed to be deep prayer. He smirked as he peered down from his perch, waiting for the perfect moment.  
>"Foolish human scum." He threw his voice down into the worship hall, cackling in a deep voice. The attendants all jumped in startlement, looking around themselves to find the source. Erik hissed "Your God is useless. I will not be silenced. I will not be ignored."<br>Many of the people ran for the door, others were too frightened to move. The Devils Child delighted in their shrieks and hasty departure. Perhaps they would learn to stop wasting their time praying to a god who didn't care about His people.  
>As the last person was stumbling out the exit, the arch deacon, accompanied by a worried looking Quasi, came thundering into the room.<br>"Erik, get down here!" He shouted, looking around.  
>"Erik is merely a facade, <em>mortal<em>." A dark, condescending voice laughed from seemingly everywhere.  
>"Enough of your tricks, child!" The elder man proclaimed. "This is unacceptable! Come face your judgement by me or I will be forced to call upon Frollo."<br>That was all it took to get Erik out of his hiding place. He shimmied down a banner, sheepishly making his way over to him.  
>The arch deacon glared down at him. "what would possess you to sabotage peoples salvation?"<br>"It is useless." Erik muttered. "What use is God? he cannot save anyone."  
>"Enough." The man immediately deflated, trying to convey his sincerity through his eyes. "Erik, God did not make you this way as punishment. You are no demon."<br>"Yes I am!" He shouted, causing his voice to bounce off the columns and arched walls. "What sort of human looks like this?! A mere skeleton, too frightening for the masses to turn their gaze upon!"  
>"Erik-" The arch deacon began, but stopped when Quasimodo shoved him to the side and went to hug the angry boy. By the way he was shaking, the man gathered that he was a blubbering mess. "Erik... please stop." He moaned against the others' shoulder. He nuzzled his wet face against Erik's shirt. "We're not bad, remember?"<br>That wasn't exactly what he had said, but the similarity was clear enough. He gently hugged the boy back, clenching his eyes shut as he felt the lumpy familiar weight against him. The archdeacon stood a good distance away, keeping quiet and respectful.  
>Erik wiped at his eyes, though there was no moisture. Soon enough, they were clamoring noisily up and down the aisles, giggling and ducking around the seats. The elder would have reprimanded them, but since no one was at church any longer, it wouldn't have mattered. He settled for sitting back with a smile and watching them share a rare childish moment.<p>

"No, throw your weight like this."  
>"You look ridiculous."<br>"_Shut up_, Erik. Just try it. We're alone up here."  
>"What about Laverne and the others?"<br>"I thought you didn't care what the **statues** thought of you?"  
>Erik stopped to look over at him. Quasi immediately started fidgeting under his intense, glowing stare. "When did you grow so audacious?" After a moment, he smirked. "Seems you've grown a bit of a backbone."<br>Quasimodo blushed, ducking his head. "Just... ring the bell."  
>Erik chuckled, then stuffed the thick cotton into his ears. Once they were in, he took off at a quick run, leaping from the deck and felt his heart leap in his throat when his hands fumbled for the rope before getting a firm grip and swinging towards the next bell. The chime was still loud, but the vibration was the most he felt. The cotton surely helped and would preserve his hearing at least a little.<br>After only three bells, Erik felt his rope-burnt hands lose grip. With a startled yelp, Erik tumbled past the rows of bells, landing harshly on his side. For a moment, he couldn't see or breathe. He feared this is what would kill him; his brain forgetting how to get back in rhythm with his lungs. But soon, his senses came back like a wave, immediately showing four concerned faces surrounding him. Somehow, he had ended up on his back.  
>"Erik? Oh, God! I've killed him!"<br>"Calm down. He's breathing sort of."  
>"Hugo, shut up."<br>"All of you, shut up." Erik groused, sitting up shakily and taking out the cotton. "My hands got burnt... lost my grip is all."  
>Quasi immediately gathered him into an awkward hug, his massive shoulders circling over him, which oddly enough made Erik feel like he was really ok. He pulled back with a trembling lip. "I'm s-sorry Erik. I should have gotten you gloves or..."<br>"Who's the older brother here?" He coughed and ended up smiling. When Quasi muttered that he was, he replied "Exactly. I should have thought of it. It's not your job to take care of me."  
>"Yes it is." Quasimodo seemed genuinely affronted at this. "Even if I'm younger, we have to take care of eachother! That means I take care of you too!"<br>Erik nodded with a stronger smile. "Yes, you are correct. I'm sorry for my lapse in judgement. Next time we'll know better." Together they stood, slowly walking to their bedroom. Erik collapsed on his set of hay, smiling at his only friend. "I think it's about time we go back to the opera house. What do you think?"  
>"Right now?"<br>"Heavens no!" Erik rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. "I'm much too tired for that now. Tomorrow, after breakfast with Frollo."  
>Quasi came over to his pile, resting his head near Erik's middle. "You like Antoinette, don't you?" He asked quietly.<br>Erik reached up to the stringy brown hair next to him, idly running his hand through it. "Yes." He replied with a nod. "But she is only a human. She may be kind, but we're all we truly have. Fellow monsters, yes?"  
>Quasi burrowed his face against Eriks chest, hiding his sorrowed expression. "yes." He all but sobbed.<br>He was soon lulled into a restful sleep by Eriks calm voice, singing a soothing melody he'd learned from the Opera. Despite his frustration with Antoinette, Quasi was glad she offered Erik such beautiful music, something he would never be able to give him.


	8. Passing the Time

Spring quickly melted into an oppressive Summer, leaving the boys sprawled in one of the numerous prop rooms below the Opera house to escape the midday heat. Antoinette sat next to their candle on the table, flipping through one of the new plays.  
>"Erik, do you want to run through this with me?" She asked, looking up with a hopeful look.<br>Quasimodo slipped further into the shadows, hugging his knees up to his chest as he listened to his only true friend getting lost in his music as Antoinette danced in the dark. A part of him wanted to glance over to watch, but a much larger portion of him didn't think he could stand to watch them bond. He could picture her smooth motions, back and forth, back and forth, pivot, bend, and so on.  
>It was unnerving how talented these two were. Erik had it so good; to have such a gorgeous voice, such skill with carving and art, and to naturally grasp the concepts of magic without anyone teaching him. When he listened to him sing, it was terribly hard to remember he was a demon at all.<br>"No, no. Annie, it says here that you should have gone left and only _two_ paces." Erik muttered, bringing him back like a cold splash. He looked over enough to see their silhouettes against the candle light. With his thoughts already focused on their positive aspects (i.e. everything that Quasi was not) it was easy to imagine them as beautiful. Antoinette was thin, but pleasantly so, with a mess of hair that looked much like a halo. How could he possibly compete with that?  
>One nightmare that constantly woke Quasi in the night was of Erik leaving without a trace, having decided he'd rather live in the Opera House. He could never tell him because he would be told the same 'we stick together' spiel, but it wasn't good enough. Erik was all he had and he couldn't give him the music and art that this wonderful place could. He wasn't sure Erik could ever reassure him that he would always be there for him.<br>He noticed Erik looking over at him with a worried expression. "Quasi." He said authoritatively. "Stop it."  
>"huh?" He tensed. No. Even with his powerful skills at observation, he couldn't actually <em>read his mind<em>.  
>From the look on his face, he most definitely could. "I know what you're doing. Stop it." He stood and loomed over his hunched figure, which, in the dark of the basement, was actually very frightening. "Come here."<br>"No. You two are-"  
>"You are more important, Quasimodo. Someday you will realize that. Stop being so self-conscious." He held out his bony hand and helped Quasi stand. "Watch Antoinette and learn the moves."<br>Despite himself, Quasi gave a shaky smile. "Erik, I am no dancer..."  
>Erik patted his shoulder. "no, but you are graceful in the oddest of ways. I've seen you swinging the bells, hopping on rooftops. That takes balance and skill."<br>The younger boy was going to protest, but he felt a pair of thin arms wrap around his. He blushed with shame when he jumped at the contact, but Antoinette held firm, tugging him over to the open floor she had been dancing in. "It is no trouble, Quasi. It's not something to pick up over night. I'd be happy to teach you."  
>She started out with simple spins, which Quasi guessed was the beginning of the song. Step by step, she told him what to do, performed it, then told him what he was doing wrong. She was firm and strict, but not unkind. Pretty soon, the two had the intro down with minimal tripping and missteps. Erik grinned, seeing his two friends enjoying each others company.<p>

Dancing wore Quasi out. He slept well with a smile on his face, dancing through the steps in his dreams. Erik couldn't help but grin as well. He was glad that Quasimodo was finally happy, instead of silently sulking.

* * *

><p>"Happy Birthday, Annie!" Quasi squealed happily as he and Erik came crashing through the window. Antoinette took a step back to avoid being crushed.<br>"Hello boys." She smiled and motioned for them to follow her down to the basement. "Aren't you two freezing? You're only wearing your cloaks."  
>Both demons looked at eachother, noting that, indeed, they were dressed as they had been in summer with only black capes to cover them. They shrugged and took them off.<br>"We move fast. It only takes us a little while to get here."  
>Annie gave them a glare, making them both shrink back, feeling a touch of shame.<br>"You two will catch your death if you aren't careful. But lets not think of that now." She sat on the cold floor, lighting a match as Erik fetched a nearby candle. "Have you been practicing the dance, Quasi? It's been almost a month since last I saw you."  
>Quasimodo rubbed the back of his neck. "A little, yes."<br>"Do not be so shy, Quasi." Erik laughed as he handed Antoinette the candle. "He has been practicing every day! I bet he dreams about it too."  
>Quasimodo blushed.<br>"Come, Quasi. Show her how good you are!" Erik encouraged, which made the boy blush harder. He shook his head and took a step back to hide in the shadows. "Don't be that way. You are doing so well."  
>"Don't embarrass him, Erik. Why don't you give me my gifts?" Antoinette held out her hands expectantly. Erik quickly fished a folded piece of paper from his pocked and placed it in her open palms. She unfolded it carefully, then tilted the picture into the light. She gasped, too shocked to look away from her portrait.<br>"You drew this?"  
>Erik nodded, very proud of himself. "Do you like it?"<br>"It is perfect. You are the most talented man in all of France to do this from memory." She carefully folded it back up and looked over to Quasi. He gently handed her a small bit of wood, which upon closer inspection revealed a little ballerina. It had blonde hair, so Antoinette guessed that it was not her.  
>"This is simply adorable, Quasi. You're very good at proportions." She smiled and stood to hug them both. "I am blessed to have you two."<br>They continued to play in the basement until a young woman called down the stairs, looking for Annie. She snuffed out the light, then quickly made her way upstairs as the boys slipped out through a secret tunnel.

* * *

><p>"Ah!"<br>"I have told you many times, boys, to NOT leave this tower!"  
>Erik twisted against the ropes holding his wrists to the railing. He was crying, but not as much as Quasi, who was forced to watch a few feet away. Frollo readied the whip again, then sent it crashing against his back, making Erik arch and give out another anguished cry.<br>"You demons will not wreak havoc among the good people of my town. I agreed to keep you alive, but I can take away your freedoms if you do not obey me!" Erik shook his head, desperately wishing to rip out his jailors tongue, to set him ablaze, to make him _hurt_! He wanted to rip apart his lies and at the same time wanted to prove him right. He was a monster, he would kill this man.  
>"Erik!" Quasimodo shouted, attempting to go to him, only to be shoved aside. He stumbled and continued to wail.<p>

"Learn from this, Quasimodo." Frollo warned in a dark, quiet voice. "Do not forget."

And he knew he never would.


	9. Short chapter

"I'm the older brother. Of course I'm going to be taller!"

"But I'm not THAT much younger! You're so much bigger than me!"

Erik smirked. "I wouldn't say I'm the 'bigger' one here..." He poked at Quasi's broad, meaty shoulder.

Quasimodo pounced with a playful growl, sending them both tumbling against the cold stone floor. They tussled for a while until the gargoyles came over to break them apart.

"Boys!" Laverne admonished as she hopped to the pair. "You're teenagers now! This behavior is not acceptable."

Erik grunted and rolled his eyes, making Quasi chuckle. Hugo blew a raspberry and thumped both humans on the shoulder. "It ain't like they're hosting a fancy dinner party or anythin'. Let them have some fun!"

Laverne crossed her arms, but couldn't help smiling at their happy dogpile. "Just be quiet. Wouldn't want Frollo to make an early visit."

Their happy summer was interupted quite suddenly by the news of Antoinettes betrothal.

Erik and Quasi stood quietly, each swamped with the implications of this development.

"Oh, boys. Don't look so dreary." She patted Eriks shoulder. "I'm old enough. And he seems nice enough." She tried to smile, but couldn't quite hold it when Erik seemed so lost. "We aren't kids anymore. This needs to happen. I need a man to take care of me."

"But... We don't even know him! And... this is just so sudden!" Quasimodo flung his hands into the air. "Will we ever get to see you again?"

"It's not the end of the world." Annie sighed. "I'll still be working at the Opera house for the most part. But I will have to move in with him as well." She ducked her head. "Unless... he doesn't want me performing anymore."

"What?!" Both boys exclaimed.

"It's the way things are!" She shouted, crossing her arms. "My parents arranged this. I just... There's nothing I can do."

"Come live with us!" Quasi nearly cried. "Don't give up your dancing."

"Don't cry, Quasimodo." She said sternly, but looked about to cry herself. She quickly pulled them both close for a hug. She wiped her dry eyes against the harsh cloth of his their shirts. "Don't either of you cry over this. I'll be fine."

Erik huffed and closed his eyes. If she was old enough for marriage, did that mean he was as well?


	10. The Fiance

The boys didn't see Jules until they were fourteen. He wasn't terribly tall, or handsome, or charming. The only reason Erik didn't hop down from his hiding spot and scare him away was that Annie had told them many times that this man made her happy.

Erik failed to see how an arranged marriage could make _anyone_ happy, but now that he saw them together, interacting and walking hand in hand, he noticed how careful he was with her. How he'd gently helped her out of the carriage, held the door open for her, walked with her carefully tucked to his side as they discussed the Opera house.

The romantic implications of their companionship stirred mixed feelings within Erik. Of course a small part of him wanted her to be happy, but a much larger part was confused at her happiness, revolted at each touch he gave her anguished by how easily he Could touch her (as he feared to do), and scared at the idea that this man would come between their friendship.

But the overall consuming emotion he let wash over him was anger. All this confusion and hurt was his fault! What right did this man have in taking _his_ friend? For a while he silently seethed, following them from the secret passages above, not noticing as Quasi trailed clumsily after him.

Erik watched as the twenty five year old man climbed the stage stairs, accidentally tripping on the top step and flailing rather ungracefully until he caught his footing. Annie rushed to him, mumbling something that was most likely asking if he was alright. He nodded and gave a sheepish smile before they continued.

Erik growled low in his chest. That stupid old man didn't have the decency to fall down the stairs and break his neck. Then all of Eriks troubles would be gone.

It felt like a flash of lightning came searing through his previous thoughts. All he had to do was kill him. Preserve what was his. Protect his friend. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew Annie wouldnt like being referred to as an object, but she was currently hanging off some fops arm, so her opinion seemed a little misguided.

Erik finally couldnt take it any longer and glided his way through the passage to the nearest exit. Quasi was hot on his trail.

* * *

><p>Quasimodo watched his best friend slowly become more and more tense, his expression transforming into a grimace, then a sneer.<p>

"Erik?" He went to touch the boys shoulder, then thought better of it and went back to watching the couple. He let out a quiet laugh as the man pinwheeled to catch his balance, but stopped abruptly when he heard Erik snarl menacingly.

"You're scaring me, Erik." He whispered, but his brother took no notice. With no warning, he was taking off down the passage. Quasi was too scared of what he'd do to let him go alone.

* * *

><p>Once they were outside, Erik began climbing the gutter of the nearest building, making his way to the roof.<p>

"Wait!" Quasi yelped, scrambling to follow. The gutter creaked against his weight, but he continued.

Erik was already hopping to the next building by the time he reached the roof. With practiced ease, he leapt after him, running to catch up and grab him around the middle, sending them tumbling across the building top.

Erik pulled against the strong arms trapping him. "Quasimodo, _release me_!" He snarled, thrashing and tugging. He was much weaker than the younger boy, so he didn't stand much of a chance.

"Erik, I don't know why you're being like this, but stop it." He mumbled into the other boys neck. Erik stilled. "Why can't you just be happy for her? This is something we can't stop. And she seemed really happy with him."

"Why should I be happy? He's ruining everything!" He tugged once more against the boys hold. "Let me go. Now."

Quasi shook his head, fighting back tears. "You're so angry all the time now. I hate to see you like this. Come on, Erik, she's not the only person who cares about you." He emphasized his point by tightening his hold, rubbing his face against his black hair.

Erik let out a roar of frustration before twisting around to face his brother. "It's not the same, Quasi, _It's not the same_!"

"I know it's not the same! But you can't be upset all the time! There's still so much to be happy about! And he hasn't said she can't work at the Opera anymore! You're overreacting!" By now he was crying and could see how rediculous their position was; laying on a rooftop, holding his brother in his arms, their faces inches apart. "I miss you smiling, Erik. I miss us playing in the church and being happy. Why can't you ever be happy?" He mumbled, feeling ashamed for letting all this out.

Erik sighed and rest his head against Quasi's chest. "I... I'm just so angry, Quasi. I can't help it. It fills me to the brim." He let out a shaky breath that turned into a sigh. "I know you care about me. I haven't forgotten."

"No more anger, Erik. we can't be like this." Quasimodo released him, letting him sit up. "We've gotta prove Frollo wrong, right? We're not monsters."

"You're wrong, Quasi." Erik stood, looking down to his deformed brother. "We are monsters. But maybe we don't have to be bad."


	11. Changing Directions

Erik was having trouble keeping his anger in check. He often felt extreme anger when his mind wandered to how society apparently viewed women and their choices. With little to do in the tower, this happened very often.

But he also recognized the need to remain calm. Quasimodo needed him. Needed him happy. Needed him to be strong. It was hard to only have one friend. Erik almost felt ashamed at how lousy of a friend he was being.

It had been nearly two weeks since their tussle on the rooftop. Things had been very strained and Erik was coming up empty handed on ways to fill the emptiness between them. Oddly enough, it was Hugo, the dumbest of the gargoyle trio, that gave him the 'Great Inspiration'.

"Quasi needs to get out and meet a gal. There's a festival comin' up. Why don't you take him out and help him get a feel for the crowd?"

Erik knew it would be much more complicated than that, but it was still a great idea. Festival of Fools was indeed upon them, which Quasimodo quietly moaned about each year, but they had never gone out to enjoy the fun. The biggest influence of this was, of course, Frollo, who would be present and angry. It would be risky. And stupid.

But Quasi would love it.

That night, when they'd settled down for bed, Erik leaned over and propped himself on his elbows in the hay and grinned. "I have an idea."

Quasi almost groaned. "Does it involve terrorizing the church members? Or setting anything on fire?"

"No, no, no. Of course not!" He laughed, instantly making Quasi feel lighter. He had much higher hopes for this idea if Erik was in such a good mood. "It involves the Feast of Fools."

Quasimodo paled, lying still on his back, being careful not to meet Eriks glowing eyes. "Erik... that is a very bad idea."

Erik balked. "What?! You always cry about how you want to go, but now you tell me it's a 'bad idea'?"

"Yes!" The hunchback turned his back to him. "You know why we can't! We're monsters a-a-and people will see us! What would happen if they caught us out of Sanctuary?"

Erik huffed and laid back. "I know, believe me. Frollo pushes that information on us constantly." A pause, then "What if we wore disguises? Enough to cover our deformities and... we could...mingle."

There was another pause, in which both sides were afraid the other had fallen asleep. After a while, Quasimodo finally turned back around with tears trailing down his cheeks. Erik was afraid he had caused them with his callused request, that possibly he had upset his brother by dangling the idea in front of him when he thought he could never have it.

"You're my best friend, Erik."

Erik found himself breathing a sigh of relief. "And you are mine." He returned earnestly. "You know I love you as if you really were my brother."

"I know." Quasi choked. "Which is why I trust you. And I'll keep you safe too. So... so maybe this could work."

Erik beamed and suddenly leaned over to gather Quasi in a hug which ended in them rolling in a wrestling match, getting very little sleep and a lot of hay in their hair.

* * *

><p>The next morning consisted of bell ringing and disguise construction. Erik refused to share his idea, which oddly amused Quasi for some reason. Quasimodo was openly sharing his outfit (a court jester, how original) and asking Eriks opinion in how to make it.<p>

Their busywork took up a majority of the next few days. They hoped the archdeacon wouldn't be missing the purple and orange drapes from storage, as well as a few bits of Christmas decoration.

"My fingers are too big to sew on the bells. Would you-"

Erik playfully rolled his eyes and took the material from his hands. "You're just tired of sewing, you lazy sod."

"Am not!" Quasi exclaimed, then grew deadly still when the sound of footsteps echoed from the stairwell.

Both boys scrambled to hide the materials in their room, throwing the bits of string and cloth out the nearby window.

The room was back to its normal state by the time Frollo made his appearance. Both boys were pale and shaking, trying to hold in their labored breathing. Frollo arched a brow at them, but set his basket down without comment.

The two shared a look, then slowly made their way to the table for a tedious alphabet lesson, followed by a meager lunch. Hopefully, Quasi could keep his cool and not spill anything to the terrible judge.

* * *

><p>"Don't look!" Erik shouted from their bedroom. Quasimodo chuckled, but turned around.<p>

"Fine, fine! I'm not! Hurry so I can see."

Erik huffed good naturedly as he pulled his outfit on. "The sun has yet to rise, brother. We aren't going to miss anything." He took a moment to adjust his belt. "You aren't even dressed. So stop rushing me."

Quasi gave a loud groan. "You've been so secretive! I just want to see!"

"Aaaalmost done." Quasimodo heard the door creak open, followed by the sound of fabric rustling against fabric. "Turn around and behold! The Red Death!"

The boy almost fell over himself turning around, taking in the flamboyant orange outfit. Once he'd had the time to properly absorb the fine details, golden embroidery, and carved skeletal mask, he let out a laugh. "Erik, that is amazing. But.. it isn't red."

He was given a withered glare. "I know that. But Orange death sounds stupid." He took hold of the long cape, flaring it out and spinning. "You like it?"

Quasi nodded his affirmative. "Much better than the original drapes."

Erik laughed, taking one last look at himself before ushering Quasi into the room. "Now it's your turn! Lets see how it fits."

Once Erik was by himself, he took a moment to look out the window, watching the patrolling guards mill around the streets. He was very glad that they had decided to do this. It had already improved their relationship and Erik found that he hadn't thought of Antoinette in at least a week.

* * *

><p>The boys were quick to romp down the stairs as soon as the gypsies made their appearance. Erik had warned Quasi earlier that, until they were out on the streets, it would be imperative to sneak out of the church. They were wearing brightly colored outfits in a rather dull building. They couldn't afford for anyone to see them or they would be locked back in the bell tower.<p>

Erik went first, scoping out the hallway from the stairwell. It seemed empty, no one talking in the cathedral, no footsteps heard bouncing off the walls. So he turned around, motioning for Quasi to follow. They ran to the other end of the hallway, keeping close to eachother and rounding the corner, only to run face first into the archdeacon.

"Boys, what are- Are those the drapes from storage?"

Both teens began sweating and were ready to bolt, when the old man laughed and patted them on the shoulders. "I must say, you've done a wonderful job. If it weren't for the colors, I wouldn't have known." He gave both boys individual serious looks. "Erik, I expect you to keep Quasi safe. Quasi. I want you to keep close to your brother. And both of you, please. Make wise decisions. Frollo is not a forgiving man."

The two gave him dazzling grins before running for the door, ready to enjoy the festivities.

* * *

><p>So soooo sorry this isn't updated quickly. The only reason I did this chapter is because of fanart. Sooooo I hope that give you guys some ideas *coughcoughmakemesomeartcough*<p> 


	12. Feast of Fools

Blending in turned out to be harder than anticipated. Not because they didn't look the part, but because both boys were having trouble keeping their nerves under control. Quasi kept cowering when someone came too close (which was constantly, since they were in a crowded square that was gathering more people by the second) and Erik stuck close to the tents in hopes of staying out of the way. This would have been seen as odd behavior, if anyone was bothered to give them much notice.  
>As it was, everyone was enraptured with the colorful festivities surrounding them. There were a few dozen gypsies parading around the crowd, juggling or walking on their hands. All the townsfolk were conversing and laughing with eachother, showing off their costumes and pointing out others that were detailed or supremely funny. At one point, a man had knocked his elbow into his friends shoulder, then pointed a pudgy finger in Eriks direction, saying something to his companion that couldn't be heard over the noises around them. Erik immediately grew angry, ready to march over to them and show them that he was not to be laughed at, but Quasi had held him back, quickly muttering that this was common behavior amongst the townsfolk.<br>After that occurrence, the boys started to assimilate by watching the goings on of the crowd. They clapped for the minstrels, haggled prices at the various stalls, then eventually made their way to the stage when one of the gypsies called for attention. Erik and Quasimodo moved with the crowd until they could see the man that was speaking.  
>He was skinny, with a large nose and bells all over his outfit. Erik seemed entranced by him and wordlessly began squirming his way closer to the stage. Quasi followed, but had to shove, since he was not as thin as his brother. Once they were standing next to the stage, Quasi asked what was wrong.<br>"I know him." Erik blurted, scrunching his face in concentration. "He-"  
>"-lovely <em>ESMERALDA<em>!" There was suddenly a puff of smoke rising up where the gypsy once stood, spilling over the wooden stage. Once it cleared, a beautiful woman was left standing in a dramatic pose. Both boys, as well as a majority of the crowd, couldn't take their eyes off of her gorgeous form. She began to dance rather sinfully, making Quasi blush just from watching it.  
>After a while, she pranced her way to the back of the stage, where Frollos personal canopy was set up. Without even a how-do-you-do, she delicately placed herself upon his lap and wrapped her scarf around his neck, teasing him with her motions. Erik and Quasi shared a slack jawed look before turning back to the display. By the time they looked back, she was already off of him, smirking openly. Frollo was dumbstruck, then quickly composed himself and glowered at the rest of her performance.<br>The skinny gypsy was back on stage soon enough, stating that it was time to look for the King of Fools, or something as silly. Erik grimaced and made himself unnoticeable in the crowd. This was his least favorite part of the festival and wanted no part of it.  
>Quasi, on the other hand, was too enraptured by the girl, Esmeralda. He was practically leaning onto the stage, gaping at her as she stood to the side, tapping her lip as she looked across the crowd. As her gaze flitted to them, she did a double take on the boy with such an odd face, gawking at her like a lovesick farmboy. She smiled warmly, reaching out for his hand.<br>Before Erik could stop him, he was up on stage, curled in on himself self conciously, but still rather noticeable. It was impossible not to see his large, deformed back, his extended brow and oddly rounded eyes. His amusing, orange outfit probably didn't help. There was a loud, collective gasp as Esmeralda attempted to remove his 'mask', finding that it was his true face. Before the crowd grew into a mob, the skinny gypsy held up his hands. When the man questioned everyone on whether or not they had a winner, the crowd went quiet before falling into a deafening roar, jumping all around and jostling Erik until he hit the stage. He looked on in horror as Quasi, still in shock at being so close to such a beautiful girl and apparently winning the contest, was following along dumbly as he was pushed into a throne, then carried off across the square.  
>"<em>No<em>!" Erik clawed his way through the masses, finding it impossible to move fast enough. How could Quasimodo not remember what happened to the winners?! He pushed on further, writhing in his desperation to get to the next platform.  
>Quasi dumbly stood in the center of the circular platform, smiling shyly at the gypsy girl as she nervously stood on the other stage. He was broken out of his inner musings when a tomato splashed against his face. Everyone began laughing as more fruit was tossed. Quasi looked enraged, making his way to the edge of the circle to jump down, but a rope was flung across his shoulder, then caught by someone on the other side. He quickly threw it off, but there were many more following it. Erik couldn't make it in time before Quasi was completely strapped down, immobile, onto the spinning stage. The hunchback could do nothing but wail out his brothers name as tomatoes and rotten lettuce heads were thrown at him.<br>The boy was a muttering mess by the time Erik took to the stage. He threw off his orange cape began wiping off Quasi's face as he continued to cry. "E-erik... Erik.."  
>"shh. I'm here." He managed to say calmly. He was vibrating with anger, unable to hold it in much longer. Slowly, Erik stood and looked around the crowd. Everyone had grown quiet, watching the mysterious figure with a skull mask. "What gives you the right to torture someone?" He shouted, twisting around to glare at everyone. "<strong>You have no idea whom you've angered!<strong>" With a snarl, he tore off his mask, revealing his corpse-like visage. Everyone grew fearful instantly.  
>"Demon!"<br>"He's the demon of the bell tower!"  
>"God have mercy!"<br>The festival dissolved into a panicked outcry as they fled the stage. Erik watched them disperse with a scowl before bending down to untie his brother. He muttered calming nonsense as he helped him stand.  
>"I hope you two are happy."<br>Erik looked down at the judge, sitting atop his horse with guards surrounding him. He looked calm on the outside, but his eyes were shining with fury.  
>There was nothing to say, so Erik silently flung Quasimodos arm around his shoulder and hobbled him down the stairs. The guards had their swords drawn, but made no move to help or hinder their movement to the church. Erik was panting with exertion by the time he reached the base of the stairs, but continued despite his exhaustion.<br>Once they were inside the church doors, Erik settled his brother on the marble floor, watching sadly as he curled in on himself and continued to cry. After a moment, he turned back to the square, still littered with bright papers and the abandoned stages. A few gypsies were collecting stray items, but were being shooed back to their hiding places by the guards. With an air of finality, Erik forced the large, oak doors closed.


	13. epiphany

**More updates sometime soon**.

Erik stood, staring at the door, barely registering his brothers hiccuped moans. His mind was whirling with his thoughts.

If only he hadn't led them to the stage.

If only Quasi hadn't accepted that gypsy's hand.

"GraaaAAAAH!" Erik flung forward and beat his fists upon the doors, only causing them to rattle lightly. Flinging his head back, the demon child let out an anguished yell before going still once again. Everything was ruined. Frollo would surely keep them on a tighter leash-perhaps literally! They would never leave this tower again.

And what would it matter if they did? Erik thought as he slid to sit against the door. It was made very clear what others thought of them. _Demon of the bell tower_ indeed. The people were terrified of him. Of them. They found it AMUSING to tie his brother up and pelt him with fruit. There was surely no place for them out there.

Erik looked around him sadly. The high ceilings, old paintings, thousands of candles; all that he had known since he was seven years old. He had memorized every candelabra, every drapery, every corner long ago. His sanctuary, his prison. This is where he was meant to stay for the rest of his existence.

To hell with that! Erik crawled over to where Quasimodo was still weeping and shook his shoulder.

"Get up, Quasimodo. We're leaving."


End file.
